Related Articles

A stationary bike works out a lot more than just your leg muscles. With proper form, an exercise bike workout can actively engage muscles across your body. Upright and recumbent bikes each offer their own muscle-conditioning benefits. Because riding a bike is considered low impact, it is an ideal exercise for beginners, offering an efficient calorie-burning, muscle-toning workout. If you have previous injuries or other physical limitations, check with your doctor before riding a stationary bike.

Get the Legs Pumping

Riding a stationary bike works out your hamstrings, calves, hip flexors and quadriceps. While an upright bike may appear to offer a more strenuous workout, a study published in 2005 in the journal “Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation” found that at low intensity, a recumbent bike workout was more strenuous. In the study discussion notes, the researchers remarked that the hamstrings and quadriceps are used more on a recumbent bike than an upright bike. On a recumbent bike, your legs are primarily responsible for powering the machine, but on an upright bike, your core and upper body share the work load with your legs.

Concentrate on the Core

On an upright bike, keeping your abdominal muscles tight is important for maintaining proper form and control. The reclined recumbent bike position provides an efficient workout for your glutes and abdominal muscles. To strengthen your core while riding a stationary bike, draw in your stomach towards your spine, which should tilt your pelvis and flatten your back. In this position, perform leg extensions by lifting one leg at a time while pedaling the bike with your other foot. Then do arm raises while pedaling. Keep your stomach drawn in. Hold the leg extensions and arm raises for 15 seconds during each rep. Repeat each exercise three times for three sets, with 15-second breaks in between reps.

Upper Body Conditioning

With concentrated effort, you can work out your upper body while riding a stationary bike. Some bike models have movable arm handles, which can be used in a rowing motion while pedaling the machine. The comfortable and secure position of a recumbent bike seat frees up your hands to work with dumbbells or resistance bands for upper body conditioning. Your upper body muscles are naturally engaged more on an upright bike, because they help power the movement. You could also stand up while riding an upright to further condition your upper body.

Intervals on a stationary bike can be performed by altering speed or resistance (incline) levels. Because intervals are intensive, only perform this routine two to three times per week and allow a day in between for recovery.

About the Author

Joy Johnston has been an online journalist since 2005. She has served as senior producer for the health news website Sharecare and as a digital producer for the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution," where she helped develop the health channel. Johnston has also covered ways to stay fit in Atlanta.